Fracking Anyone?: 5.6 Earthquake Hits Central Oklahoma After Earlier 4.7 (... among others)

What the Frack??*...

Late yesterday (Saturday), a magnitude 5.6 earthquake - Oklahoma's strongest on record - hit near Sparks, 44 miles northeast of Oklahoma City. It was felt throughout the state and in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, northern Texas and parts of Illinois, Wisconsin.

This quake came in the wake of Saturday's magnitude 4.7 quake that was felt from Texas to Missouri.

"Oklahoma typically has about 50 earthquakes a year, but a burst of quakes east of Oklahoma City has contributed to a sharp increase."

"Researchers said 1,047 quakes shook Oklahoma last year, prompting them to install seismographs in the area. The reason for the increase isn't known, and Turner said there was no immediate explanation for the weekend spurt in seismic activity."

"Turner said an active spate of earthquakes started in the region in February 2010 and the latest activity appears to be part of that trend."

"But experts are still puzzled why the latest quakes have been concentrated in such a small geographic area around Sparks, she said."

(*As in "Natural Gas-Fracking, anyone?"...)

Link to MSNBC story:

5.6 Earthquake Hits Central Oklahoma After Earlier Shakers